Wall section for forming baffles in boilers



J. M. HOPWOOD C O l O rus. 2

TTTTTT EY Mliimm' l Apriil 8 1924. Y

J. M. HoPwooD WALL SECTION FOR FORMING BAFFLES IN BOILERS original Filed April 2a. :,922 s sheets-sheet 2 INVENTIIIR WWW Puls i ATTDRNCY April 8 ,l 1924.

J. M. HoPwooD WALL SECTION FOR FORMING BAFFLES IN BOILERS Original Filed April 28 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEN TD R www uw WMDM' ATTDRNEY Patented Apr. d, 1924.

JOHNKM. HOPWOKOD, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

WALL SECTION FOR FOR-MIN@ BAFFLES IN BOILERS.

Application lcd April 28, 1922, Serial No. 557,193. Renewed October 13, 1923.

To all whom t may concer/n.:

Be it known that l, JOHN M. Horwoon, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Wall Sections for Forming Baftles in Boilers, of which improvements the following is specifica-tion.

In order that the hot gases may contact to the greatest possible extent with the tubes of a horizontal water tube boiler, the tubes are so arranged that tubes of one row will be in line vertically with the spaces between tubes of adjacent rows and hence spaces between tubes are irregular inshape and so narrow that it is exceedingly difficult to form a baffle at right angles to the tubes with blocks of refractory material, and hence resort has been had to build a bale in situ. The method employed consisted in forming a mold consisting of two side walls spaced a distance apart equal to the desired thickness of baille and arranged at right angles to the .tubes which extend through these side walls. On account of the narrow spaces between adjacent tubes, only narrow strips of wood could be used and on account of the inaccessibility of the inner tubes, it was impractical to so lit the strips around the tubes and against one another to make tight joints and consequently when the material for the balile is made suiliciently fluid to iow around the tubes and fill all spaces between the walls, Water would es: cape carrying with it the iuxing ingredient of the material,-and hence when the material was dried out and subjected to a high heat, the baffle would crumble away. In order to prevent the loss of fluxing ingredients, .the materialfor thefbailie-y has been made less uid, and in order to ensure the complete filling of the mold and enclosure of the tubes, the material was puddled to cause the material to settle down around the tubes. But as the sides of the mold were weak due to theL conditions under which they were formed, the lateral pressure resulting from the puddling caused an opening up of the mold walls and a consequent escape of material. And further, unless the puddling is done skillfully and thoroughly, there will be openings through the baffles,

such openings usually occurring immediately below the tubes.

The object of the invention describedl herein is to provide collapsible wall sec'- tions, which `can be inverted between the tubes and then extended or enlarged thereby causing its edges to partially surround the tubes, and portions to project between tubes and form a tight joint with the tubes and edges of adjoining wall sections. The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Fig. l is a secl tional view showing a portion of the sections forming a wall across `the tubes in position; Fig. 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale showing the manner of forming aA monolithic. baille; Fig. 3 is a side elevation on an enlarged side of a wall section;Fig. 4 is a sectional view on a plane indicated by the line lik-lv, Fig. 3; Figs. 5, 7, and 9 are views similar to Fig. 3, illustrating different embodiments of the improvements claimed herein; Figs. 6, `8, and 10 are sectional views on planes indicated respectively by lines Vl-Vl, Fig. 5, VIII-VH1. Fig. 7, and X-X, Fig. 9f l ln the practice of my invention the mold for forming a monolithic baliie consists of two walls extending transversely of the tubes. said walls .fitting around and lforming tight joints with the tubes. Each of these walls consists or" a plurality of members, each member being so constructed that its longitudinal edge portions, which, when the members are in position, should contact with the tubes and edges of adjoining sections when the walls are to be adjusted in `jiosition, may be moved towards each other thereby so reducing the transverse dimensions of the sections as to permit of their sliding to their longitudinal position between the tubes, and moved apart to bring the members'into operative relation t0 the tubes. This reduction `of the members in transverse dimensions may be effected in many ways as for example, by so constructing the longitudinal `edge portions of the sections that they may be collapsed orv expanded by constructing the members in two longitudinal sections which may be moved transversely relative one to the other or may be hinged together, permitting the parts to be folded one upon the other. The several embodiments labove referred to ot the improvement claimed herein vwill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. It should be, premised, however', that the terms collapsing77 or collapsible are used herein in ak broad sense and as covering any construction whereby the distance between the longitudinal edges of the wall members may be varied.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the w-all members are formed with a rigid body portion consisting oit two strips 1 o1" metal or other suitable materialhaving circular notches 2 in their opposite edges, the 'positions ot the notchesbeing dependent on the relative arrangement of the tubes of the boiler. The longitudinal edge portions ot the sections consist ot collapsible .tubes 3, which in the construction shown,

are -formed by folding a strip-of rubber or other suitable material on its self v.and clamping `the edges together between the strips 1 which are secured together by rivets or other suitable means. These tubes are closed at one end and are provided at their yopposite end with nipples ll, similar to those employed in connection with the inner tubes oi pneumatic tires.

kWhen building baliies, two series of wall sections are passed between diagonal rows of tubes with the sides of the members parallel or approximately parallel with the tubes. AWhen a member has reached the proper longitudinal position it is turned on its longitudinal axis to a position at right angles to the boiler tubes. The tubular edges 3 are then inflated causing them to bear againstthe boiler tubes and against the tubularedges of adjoining wall members, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The two series ot members are spaced a suitable distance apart, as shown in Fig. 2, dependent on the required thickness of the battles, and the bottom of the space between the walls is closed by a board or any other suitable means, and the ends of the spaced wall section are closed by the side walls ofthe boiler setting. As all vjoints between the members and the tubes and edges of adjacentmenibers are tight, being formed by the tubular edges or portions ci the members,j the material composing the baiiles can be made so `fluid that it will completely lill all parts ot the mold thus formed by the walls, and as there cannot be any escape of water there will lbene loss of the fluxing material .and .all parts of the Amonolithic .structure will be uniform as regards its heat resisting qualities.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the body portions of the wall sections consist of twooverlapping strips 6 of metal or other suitable material adapted to move laterally Figs. 5 to v10. It

one over the other. These strips are provided with transversely inclined slots 8 and 9, those in one strip or section being at an angle to those in the other. Pins 10 secured to a longitudinally movable rod 11, project into the slots in both strips or sections so that by a longitudinal movement of the rod the strips will be shifted laterally thereby changing the transverse dimensions of the member. The section or strips are held from relative 'longitudinal movement by pins 12 passing through horizontal slots 13 in the section or strips.

InV lieu of employing pins engaging oppositely inclined slots to vary the widths of the wall members, toggle joint devices may be employed as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. These -devices consist of links 14 showing their respective endspivotally connected to the sections or strips and their opposite ends pivotally connected to the longitudinally movable rod 15. Independent'longitudinal movements of the plates or strips may be prevented in any manner as for 'example by slots 13 in the plates and pins 12 passing through said slots.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the metal strips or sections 6 may be hinged togetherI so that one strip or section may be folded one upon the other, inserted between the tubes and then spread apart until the sections are in alinement transversely. A ksuitable lock, as for example a latch 16,` pivoted to one strip and adapted to pass behind a lug 17 on the other strip, may be employed for preventing an accidental collapsing or folding of the strips.

As the collapsing or changing in width of the wall members is effected inthe forms shown in .'Figs. 5 to 10 by the relative movement-s of the plates or strips forming the body portions sec-tions, inflatable edge portions are not necessary as in the constructionshown in Figs. 1 to 4, and hence resilient packing such as solid or hollow strips 18 may be used as a packing along the outer edges Aof thel plates or strips, as shown in will be understood ,that the outer edges of the strips or sections are provided with circular notches 2 for the reception ot the boiler tubes when the wall sections areplaced in position.

I claim herein .as my invention:

1. L member [for forming molds orshapm .ingbailles in boilers having in combination Va body portion and yielding edge kportions and means for changing the transverse dimensions of one of ,saidparts .2. A member for forming molds Afor shapingballes in bolers,.having va body portion having ,circular notches in opposite edges for the reception of the boiler tubes and strips of .yielding material along thenotched edges and .means for .changing the transverse dimensions ot one of said parts.

3. A member for forming molds for shaping baffles in boilers having in combination a body portion and tubular edge portions adapted to be inflated to form tight joints With adjacent surfaces.

4c. A member for Jforming molds for shaping bafiies in boilers having in combination a body portion having its opposite edges notched for the reception of the boiler tubes and tubes arranged along the edges of the 10 In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set 15 my hand.

JOHN M. HOPWOOD. 

